Hola!i'm New In Town!
Decorating By littlestar862003 Updated 26 Oct 2006 , 12:29pm by praetorian2000
Hi, you all will think I'm crazy but here is my situation. I know this is the site for expert cake baker and I'm no expert at all. I just like baking but I have very little knowledge in this area. My mother does not enjoy cooking, my father never bake anything, but I just happen to be an odd ball in my family. I have no intention of opening a shop what so ever. I just do this for fun. So, do you have any advice for me? anything I should start with? And what are some basic tools I need to have? Thank you so so so much 
Welcome!
Many of us are not professionals. We all just love baking!
I have only been doing this for about a month now but here is a few things that I can tell you.
1. If you use fondant most of us recommend MMF (look in the recipes section and search marshmallow fondant)
2. No question is dumb, we all learn from the help of one another.
3. If you are going to go buy supplies see if you have a hobby lobby near you. This week you can get 50% off wilton supplies. You can get your coupon at www.hobbylobby.com for this.
4. Many people here use box mixes that they add to. I personally have not tried this and do mine from scratch but many here love the way they do it.
5. I started off with the small set of wilton tips ($17) and disposable bags. Practice makes perfect.
6. Check out the posts here on cake balls. Something great to do with your left over cake once you have leveled it!
7. If you have a question, just ask. More than likely someone will know the answer here and be more than happy to help!
Happy Baking!!!!!!
Welcome! Well, I'd say the first thing you would want to invest in would be a good heavy duty electric mixer. Kenwood, De Longhi or KitchenAid are all good quality. After that it would depend on what type of baking you will be doing. If you plan on making layer cakes you may want to start with a set of two 10" round pans, that size is average for most special opccasion cakes. I use one cake mix for each 10" pan, after baking and cooling I turn them out of the pans, turn them right side up and cut the tops off each one so you get a perfectly level cake when you assemble and ice it. After that there are a million extra's you may to buy, cake decorating tips, icing bags, icing spatula's, paste or gel colors for coloring icing. The list goes on and on.
This place has everyone from someone who wants to make a cake for their child for the first time, to a woman who baked the Queen's birthday cake!
Read the forums, and if you have a question no matter if you think it is stupid - ASK!!!
None of us were born knowing this stuff - we had to ask too. We still do.
Take pictures, post them. If you think yours are not good enough, just push the little photos button under my name... Feel better about yours? 
Have fun!
Welcome to your future ADDICTION We are all in a varity of learning stages. I am sure some of the experts will tell you everyday and every cake or cookies they do provide a different learning experience. Like you have already been told there is no such thing as DUMB QUESTIONS here. I even second guess what I already know when under stress. I come her to find out if I am right. 
We are one big Family is what I feel about this site. You can ask ??? You can vent your problems personal and cake related. There is alot to offer on this site Recipes, Ideas, Friendships, Schooling on things you need help with. WELCOME TO THE FAMILY
OH PS you will be on this site alot and any chores you need to do will fall behind. We have already decided there is no Fairy to clean the kitchen, cook supper,laundry or anything else that might need to be done. I wish you well.
Again let me say welcome to the forums. You are not the only oddball in your family. Nobody in my family is a baker, either. And certainly no cake decorators.
We don't know where you live, but if you have the opportunity to take some lessons, then by all means, do. We know the Wilton Method is offered at Michaels, AC Moore, Hobby Lobby, and at some Joann Fabric stores.
If you do not, then go to the Wilton website. There are tutorials for all their piping techniques. I do not know if they added the fondant work yet.
Most of all, make sure that this is fun for you. Do not get frustrated because you have trouble with a certain technique, just keep practicing. It will come in time.
The best advice I ever got was from a Wilton Method Instructor, who told me that she did not want to hear any complaints about doing roses until I have tried making 100 of them. She was absolutely right.
Theresa 
Welcome. As you can see, if you post a question, you can and will get a variety responses, which I personally like.
1. I highly recommend The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum. I have made several cakes from that book and in my opinion, so long as you have the ingredients, the cakes are foolproof.
2. I also recommend classes. I've never taken a wilton course because there are no Michael's or other places like that in NYC. I took classes at culinary schools. One or two day classes or week long classes. nothing major. But the thing is, I got hands on instruction and I got to see how things were done. For me, I need to see it.
3. Also, I recommend a restaurant supply store or cake and candy supply store for supplies and ingredients.
4. This hobby is expensive, especially if you're not getting paid for your work, so be prepared to pay up front and cut costs where you can without sacrificing taste and quality. The more you get into this, the more you'll be able to see how you can do that. I do it all the time and everyone loves what I make.
5. Don't be afraid to come on here and ask questions. Everyone on here is willing to help and offer advice.
6. Have fun.
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